Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is 'certain' his innocence will be proved over match-fixing allegations in Greek football

Evangelos Marinakis had seen four serious criminal charges against him dropped, but is one of 28 senior figures still facing more minor allegations of match-fixing, amid a judicial investigation of the Greek Super League

Evangelos Marinakis says he is ‘certain that his innocence’ will be proved when it comes to the remaining charges of match-fixing he faces, along with 27 other senior figures, within Greek football.

The Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos owner has been cleared of the four most serious criminal charges he faced, as part of a judicial investigation into alleged corruption within Greek football.

The shipping magnate is among a large group of senior officials within the Greek game who still face a more minor charge of match-fixing, which is likely to be heard in court late next year.

Marinakis has temporarily stepped down as chairman of Olympiacos in the short-term, but remains convinced that his name will be cleared by the end of the process, as he believes the remaining charges will also go unproven, amid a backdrop of politically motivated mud-slinging within Greek football.

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“The Judicial Council of Appeals, a three-member panel of senior judges that reviews prosecutorial complaints, has unanimously rejected the charges related to membership in a criminal organisation, fraud, extortion and arson, previously raised against me and other persons in Greek football, as absolutely unfounded and has thus left exposed those that rushed into adopting these baseless accusations to satisfy their envy,” said Marinakis in a statement on the Olympiacos website.

Evangelos Marinakis in the stands during the Carabao Cup third round tie at Stamford Bridge (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

“The Judicial Council on the other hand could not reach a unanimous decision, when it found that certain match-fixing charges be upheld against me and another 27 persons. The 2:1 majority vote will be tested in court, as the chair of the Judicial Council expressed the dissenting view that those charges will have to be dismissed as well.

“I am certain that my innocence with regard to these remaining charges will be demonstrated by the judicial process that will ensue, thus fully exonerating me and vindicating the stated opinion of the chair of the Judicial Council.

“Until the conclusion of the proceedings and for the few months remaining until my full exoneration, I propose to the board of directors of Olympiacos F.C. that the position of the chairman of the board to be taken over by the Mayor of Piraeus and vice-president of Olympiacos F.C., Mr Giannis Moralis.”

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The running of the club is largely in the hands of Randall and chief executive Ioannis Vrentzos and, while Greek football rules state that Marinakis must step down from his role at Olympiacos while the case continues, Football League regulations are different and he would not face any fall out unless he was found guilty.